Kamal Ghorui
British journalist Mehdi Hasan criticised American far-right activist Laura Loomer on social media over her recent comments on the Taj Mahal, calling into question her understanding of Islamic architecture. On X, Hasan wrote, “The most famous Islamic architecture in the world! How can she be this dumb?”Loomer is a MAGA bigwig who is known for frequently criticising Islam as an ideology. She had posted earlier on X: “I had a magnificent day at the Taj Mahal. It is the most incredible monument I have ever seen in my life. A monument of love built with perfect symmetry and detail. India is one of the most beautiful countries I’ve ever had the pleasure of traveling to. Highly recommend!” The Taj Mahal in Agra is a prime example of Mughal and Islamic architecture, built between 1632 and 1653 by Emperor Shah Jahan as a mausoleum for his wife Mumtaz Mahal.
Loomer visited New Delhi in March 2026 and later the Taj Mahal following a public controversy over her previous social media posts. During her trip, journalists challenged her over old anti-India, xenophobic, and racist posts on social media. Screenshots of derogatory remarks resurfaced online. Loomer publicly apologised after the backlash, stating, “I shouldn’t have said some of the things that I said,” and added that she “loves India.”Loomer has criticised Islam in the past, claiming there is no moderate form of the religion and alleging it calls for violence against Jews and Christians. Hasan saw an opportunity to call out her stance after she praised the Taj Mahal as a beautiful monument, asking how she could criticise Islam yet appreciate the architectural beauty of the Taj Mahal.One social media user even asked Laura: “Answer this honestly. Who paid you? And how much?”Loomer replied: “Uh, it’s called getting invited to speak at a conference. I spoke at a news media conference in India with reporters from all around the world… Been scheduled to speak since last year. Wasn’t paid. Was thrilled to visit India. You do realize there are conferences all around the world, right?”
